personal experience? heh. as i said before, the build quality of a wrx isnt that amazing. the sheet metal is extremely thin, and the suspension components are small and thin as well. my STOCK front and rear control arms are thicker, and more solid than a wrx. the sheet metal on the mirage is thicker, and despite having a small motor and lack of awd, STILL weighs in at over 1k lbs less. now mind you, the mirage is only smaller than a wrx by a few measly inches all the way around. my mirage had way more sound dampening material in it than a wrx does. i know this because i have done a full dynamat install in a wrx, as well as my mirage. my mirage doesnt make half, HALF the noises as a wrx does. the mirage also has less dynamat and padding in the quarterpanels.
the axles... wow. tiny. mirage axles are bigger than B series axles. my tranny has been through 40K worth of hi-rev clutch side-steps, hard shifting, and upper rev downshifting, with no ill effects on the tranny or the LSD. only thing in there is my upgraded clutch and 4g DOHC LSD. mind you my transmission has OVER 180K on it, and the 3 inch stack of reciepts the car came with from the original owner states the clutch was replaced once, but never the tranny or the axles. the block is also a very heavy thick iron. no coolant jackets like a honda motor, just coolant paths.
im basing all my experiences on a friends MINT CONDITION PRISTINE 02 bug-eye. i personally have done alot of work on this car. it will not be a car that i will own, even if given to me. note the motor is stock except for a vishnu up and down pipe. i believe it has 25k on it. it has never been in an accident.
the noise statements arent just for his wrx, its for wrx's in general. ive ridden in/driven plenty.
if you want a shitty econobox, buy a 5g mirage. everything is plastic.
the axles... wow. tiny. mirage axles are bigger than B series axles. my tranny has been through 40K worth of hi-rev clutch side-steps, hard shifting, and upper rev downshifting, with no ill effects on the tranny or the LSD. only thing in there is my upgraded clutch and 4g DOHC LSD. mind you my transmission has OVER 180K on it, and the 3 inch stack of reciepts the car came with from the original owner states the clutch was replaced once, but never the tranny or the axles. the block is also a very heavy thick iron. no coolant jackets like a honda motor, just coolant paths.
im basing all my experiences on a friends MINT CONDITION PRISTINE 02 bug-eye. i personally have done alot of work on this car. it will not be a car that i will own, even if given to me. note the motor is stock except for a vishnu up and down pipe. i believe it has 25k on it. it has never been in an accident.
the noise statements arent just for his wrx, its for wrx's in general. ive ridden in/driven plenty.
if you want a shitty econobox, buy a 5g mirage. everything is plastic.